I Will Haunt You
by Kiss My Fang
Summary: Bella's jump off that cliff was a bit more fatal than she had thought it would be. Now she is a ghost, and no one can see her. Will Bella save Edward from the Volturi? More importantly can she?  And what will happen to her afterwards?
1. Chapter 1

I didn't mean to kill myself. I honestly didn't. Was my jump intentional? I don't know. Was my jump recreational? I don't know. I remember that I hardly thought at all. I didn't notice the roiling waves beneath me, only Edward's voice.

Don't. Please don't. Stop. Think. Don't Jump! Bella, think! Bella please, please don't jump. Please.

I smiled at the velvet voice in my head. Both there and not there. So close but yet so far.

Rain pelted my face but I ignored it, it wasn't such a big deal anyway. Jacob promised me he would take me cliff diving, so I am. I liked dangerous things lately. Every risky thing I did made Edward's voice in my head talk more. Consequently, each step brought more words from my angel. His upset, but still beautiful voice, was a balm for my soul. So I jumped.

Bella no! Bella!

And fell.

And fell.

And Fell.

Until the hungry waves swallowed me.

There was that whooshing feeling, where you dive down and down into the waves. So far down that you can't get back up again. My hands instinctively clawed at the water, trying to pull myself up on nothing. I sank up and then down, my limbs feeling like lead in the water. I couldn't move. That struggling feeling overcame me, that wild animalistic panic that compels you to pull someone down with you. But there was no one.

It was at that time a memory from my childhood came to me.

I was 5 years old and it was summer, and Renee had just had one of those "safety mom" urges. She got it into her head that we should go to the local pool to teach me how to swim. So she put me into the back seat and buckled me in.

When we got there, she took me over to the shallow end of the pool and eased me in. She then proceeded to teach me how to doggy paddle and stay afloat. I was quite proficient in doggy paddling.

Later, however I was walking along the edge of the deep side of the pool. I think maybe thats when my clumsiness first became apparent. I never saw what I slipped on, or if I even slipped on anything, but my feet lost purchase on the slick cement and I tumbled into the pool. I thrashed like I was doing at the moment, and heard a whoosh right next to me. I was pulled out of the deadly water by a weeping Renee, and she held me close.

"Bella! Bella! Oh Bella!" Was all she seemed able too say at the moment.

After my fall, we left, my mother not wanting a repeat of the accident. She later spoke to me in the car.

"Bella, if that ever happens again...doggy paddle like I showed you, and scream for help. Yell for me, and I'll come."

But she wasn't here now.I was too far down in the water to doggy paddle; my limbs too tired.

"Mom." I said, my words were muted by the water. River water rushed into my mouth, my throat. I had no control over it.

Suddenly things just simply stopped. My thrashing, my movement, my silent screams. And then nothing.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Second Chapter! Well, obviously. haha. **

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I came out of the blackness that had engulfed me when I hit the water. I was so wet, but that was expected. I heard loud shouting and I looked around me. I noticed Jake as he dove into the river, yelling at Sam. 

Wait. Wasn't I in the river? I did another quick survey around me, and realized that I was standing on the bank of the river, next to the trees. How did I get here? Another shout brought my attention back to the chaos at hand.

"I've got her!" Jake yelled to Sam.

Jake swam back to the bank and set a girl down. I didn't see her face because her brown hair was in the way, but she was deathly pale and looked to not be breathing. Jake pounded on her chest and performed CPR, all the while shouting: "Bella! Bella!" 

"Yes, Jake?" I answered. He didn't seem to hear me, because he continued his thirty compressions on her chest.

"Jake!" I said louder, wondering why he didn't look up.

"No, Bella! Wake up! I can't lose you! Sam! Did you call 911?!" He cried hysterically.

"Yes." Sam replied. "It'll be around ten minutes before they get here." He grimaced.

"Bella, please! I don't want to lose you!" Tears were running down Jake's cheeks, as he crouched over the girl's body.

"Jake I'm right here, you aren't going to lose me!" I insisted, perplexed.

Things did not look good for the girl, she hadn't responded yet, even after five minutes of CPR. I walked over to Jake and the girl, to see if I could help.

"Jake-" I began, but Jake cut me off as if he hadn't heard me.

"Where's the ambulance! She's still not breathing!" He put his fingers to the girl's neck and waited. "There's no pulse either!" He wailed.

Jake did thirty more compressions, and two more breaths. He relentlessly continued, with an anguished expresson on his face. Sam walked slowly up to Jake with a sad face, and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Jake...I don't think there's anything you can do. She's gone."

Jake's anguished howl of rage rang through the forest. "Don't say that!" Heaving sobs wracked his body as he bent over the girl to give half-hearted compressions. The wail of an ambulance was heard, and Jake slowly sat up, his face scrunched in agony and sorrow as he gently wiped the wet hair away from the dead girl's face and planted a delicate kiss on her forehead.

"I'm sorry Bella." He whispered sadly, his fingers tracing her heart-shaped face and wiping off his tears. A jolt ran through me.

I gasped in surprise and shock as I stared at the corpse's face. It was me.

I watched in horror as they put my body on a stretcher and hoisted it into the ambulance. Jake and Sam climbed into the seats of the ambulance and slammed the doors behind them. Then they wheeled away, the high-pitched keening of the ambulance following.

I stood there for awhile with my mouth hanging open before I realized that I was alone, and the ambulance had left without me. My eyes darted around wildly while I tried to grasp the situation. _I'm dead? What? I can't be. No, no. This isn't right. This must be nightmare. Yes, that's right. A horrible, terrifying nightmare._ I decided that I was going to go with the flow, and play along.

So I followed the ambulance to the hospital.

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**also, check out my other story, "S****he's Mine"**

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, here's the next chapter. Hope you guys aren't TOO mad that I killed off Bella :)**

**thanks for everyone who read and reviewed!**

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I followed the nurse who wheeled me inside the hospital. She took a quick turn at a sign that said "E.R.", and passed me off to a doctor. 

"What's the story?" The baldng man asked the nurse.

"Two boys found her in a river in La Push, one of the boys performed CPR for 7 minutes, but she showed no signs of life."

"How'd she get in the river?"

The nurse looked a little hesitant before answering. "She jumped off a cliff."

"Did she hit any rocks on the way down? Did she hit her head or spine?" The docor continued, as he wheeled me into a room in the E.R.

"No, we checked her in the ambulance. She most likely drowned." The nurse paused for a second. "Her name is Isabella Swan."

The doctor grimaced. "Chief Swan's daughter?" The nurse nodded her head. "She's all he has." The doctor looked down at me sadly and then abruptly called out: "Alright, somebody get an AED!"

I thought. 

A nurse quickly took scissors and cut my shirt and bra off of me. I looked away, embarrassed at having my chest bared to everyone in the room. The nurse spread clear gel on my chest as the doctor readied the AED.

"Ready? CLEAR!" He yelled. A shock was distributed through my dead body, but my heart did not react. _Didn't they already know I was dead?_

"Ok, again! One, two, three...CLEAR!" Again another shock did nothing to start my stilled heart. I looked down in sadness. My death would kill Charlie inside.

The doctor repeated the shock again two more times but it did nothing. "I'm calling it." He stated sadly.

"Isabella Swan, age 18, declared dead at 1:45 P.M, on April 5th." She stated for someone with a pen and paper.

I felt a cold shock go through me.

"Has someone called Chief Swan?" The doctor asked tiredly.

"Yes, he's in the lobby."

The doctor looked anguished as he replied. "I-I...guess I'll go tell him."

I heard somebody walk near me and I looked up. It was Jake. 

He looked awful. His faces was all blotchy as if he had been crying, and his eyes were puffy. He was still wet from the dive into the river, and he was dripping on the floor.

"Would you like a towel, honey?" A helpful nurse asked.

He shook his head. "Can I have a minute with Bella?" He looked anguished. The nurse looked like she was about to protest, but she took one look at his pleading, agonized face. She nodded and swiftly left the room.

He walked up to my body and clutched my cold, dead hand. "Bella," he croaked, a sob breaking his voice, "I'm sorry! Bella, I'm sorry I'm a failure, I failed you. You died, and it's all my fault." He said with self-loathing.

I walked up. "Jake! It wasn't your fault. _I_ jumped, remember? It's not your fault!" I repeated.

He went on as if he hadn't heard me. "I'm sorry I didn't come soon enough. I'm sorry I promised to take you cliff diving, this is all my fault."

"Jake-" I put my hand on his shoulder. Jacob shuddered and looked up in my general vicinity. He looked at the dead me, and then back up. He shook his head and muttered something I couldn't hear.

At that moment, Sam walked in. I jumped back and dropped my hand. He placed his hand on Jake's shoulder, where mine was. "Jake, there was nothing you could do. She was gone before you even pulled her out of the water." Sam said soothingly.

"No," Jake spitted, "it IS my fault. All my fault...all of it. I promised her I would take her cliff diving."

"But she went without you. She didn't wait for you. It isn't your fault." He steered Jake away from my body. "Come on, let's go comfort Charlie."

"Hold on." Sam looked at Jake for a second, and then left. Jake turned back to me. "Bella, I'm sorry. No matter what anybody says, I know it was my fault. I'll remember you forever, Bella. Forever." He repeated sadly. "I love you Bells." He kissed me on the forehead, then reluctantly left the room.

I let out a little cry in pain."Jake! I'm not dead, I'm right here!" I wanted to call out, but I knew he couldn't here me.

I walked out into the lobby to see how Charlie was. He was bent over in pain, crying. He seemed not to care that everybody was watching the chief of police cry, and he didn't seem to notice the circle of people around trying to comfort him. I took a step back. I didn't want to see my dad this way. I had caused him so much pain, pain that I could never repent. I quickly turned and bolted in the other direction, out the doors of the hospital.

I clenched my eyes tight as I ran, and found that I couldn't cry_. What's wrong with me_? All of the sudden, I ran into something hard and fell backwards on my butt_. What the_-?

I looked up and shrieked in terror. A man stood before me. I looked away. He looked horrible. There was blood oozing down in a trail from a wound in his chest. A knife was stuck in his chest. There was blood everywhere. I shrieked again.

"Hey, you don't look too pretty yourself, missy." He said angrily.

"What?" I said, confused." You can hear me and see me?"

He gave a harsh laugh. "Sure can."

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**oooh, who is bloody man??? find out next chapter!! haha. please review!**

**I just might not update if I don't get more reviews... :o**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, so I know what it's like to be left on a cliffhanger, so I update TWICE on the same day. enjoy.**

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I quickly picked myself up off the ground, and stood up. Bloody man was staring down at me intensely, and it was making me a tad bit uncomfortable. From where I stood, and because of my height, Bloody man's knife was sticking right in my face. I looked up at him, then looked quickly away, afraid to make eye contact. I had never been fond of blood, and this guy was bathed in it. It made me a little sick to look at him. My eyes flickered back to the knife stuck squarely in his chest.

"Why don't you pull that out?" I asked hesitantly.

He gave another harsh laugh. "Have you tried drying yourself off yet?" I looked down at myself. I was, in fact, still very wet. He saw my confused expression and continued impatiently. "I died with it in, it's going to stay in until I leave this world. It won't come out. Just like you'll keep on dripping water until you leave this Earth. Got it?"

I nodded, still slightly confused. "You're dead?" I asked.

He looked at me oddly. "Uhh, yeah. So are you, genius."

"Huh."

Bloody man looked at me incredulously. "Well, aren't you calm about your own death."

"Well, I already know this is all a dream. So whatever you say to me doesn't really matter. I'll be waking up soon."

"Dream! This ain't no dream!" He thundered. "This is the real deal! You're dead. Gone. You've kicked the bucket! Croaked! Bit the dust!"

"Right, sure." I replied, skeptical.

"You don't believe me?!" He laughed. "Just you wait. When you find out that you can't wake up, then you'll know this ain't no dream."

I decided to switch gears, because he seemed so insistent on the fact that I'm dead. "So, why am I here then? You know, since I'm dead and all." 

"Well...you usually have to do something. Something you left undone."

"And what would that be?" I asked.

"Well, unfinished business and whatnot. But for most, you have to kill the person who murdered you." He added brightly.

"But I wasn't murdered." I quipped.

He looked at me incredulously again. "What do you mean? You had to have been murdered. I've never heard of a ghost that WASN'T murdered. It just isn't done."

"Well, I wasn't."

"Did you commit suicide?" He said angrily. Though for what reason, I couldn't fathom.

"No, I jumped off a cliff-" I started.

"Sounds like suicide to me."

"No, it was for recreational purposes only. I just didn't take into account the storm that was going on."

He still looked like he didn't believe me, but decided to let it go. "Maybe you were murdered, and don't remember. Though it's kind of early for that. Heck, I've been dead for two years, and I can still remember how I died."

"I KNOW how I died. And what do you mean by "though it's kind of early for that"?" I said slowly.

"Well, ghosts kind of...forget things. Except for who murdered them. We'll never forget that."

"What do we forget?" I said, surprised.

"Well," he paused, looking at me oddly." Family, friends, our names, basically our whole life. I can't remember my name." He added sadly.

I started to panic silently. I didn't want to forget anything about my life. I looked up at Bloody man to see him looking down at me sadly. 

"There aren't many of us, girl, but we're all over the place. My suggestion to you, is to forget about leaving this world. It hardly ever happens. What you should do is find yourself a nice place to haunt. A big house, a lake, a school. Heck, I haunt these here woods!"

I looked around me. We were, in fact, in the woods. That means I was close to my house. I began to back away from Bloody man as he continued talking.

"The way I see it, girl, if you're going to kill someone, kill the person who killed you. I don't care what you say, you were murdered. I hope you find out who murdered you, so you can get revenge...but don't get your hopes up. Once you're a ghost, you stay a ghost."

I turned around and fled. Bloody man was staring after me moodily, and I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. He was pessimistic and cynical, no wonder he'd never leave this world. I faced forward and kept on running. I was amazed at how fast I was, and how I hadn't tripped yet. I looked down at my feet. _Oh, that's why._ My feet stepped forward, but they didn't exactly touch the ground. I floated. Well, kind of. I looked back up. I had reached my house. I floated up the steps and stretched my hand out towards the doorknob. It fell through. Dang it.

I decided to try out my new ghosty powers. I squeezed my eyes shut, and took a few steps forward. I opened my eyes. _Well, what do you know,_ I thought as I walked down the hallway. Suddenly, I heard a beautiful voice coming from my living room. It was a soprano voice that sounded like ringing bells. It was lovely. I stood there for a few minutes, savoring the extraordinary sound. Then, realization hit me. That voice could only belong to one person. I ran fast towards the living room and stopped at the door. What I saw shocked me. I'm sure that if I were human, I would have fainted by now.

"Charlie. I'm really sorry. We're all going to miss her." The owner of the beautiful voice said. Charlie had his head in his hands, sobbing.

"Why did she commit suicide?" She whispered.

Charlie lifted his head and locked his red eyes on her. "Alice, I don't think her intention was to kill herself. Jacob said people down in La Push jump from that cliff all the time, for fun."

Alice still looked skeptical but she decided not to press it. "Charlie, will you let my family and I help you plan the funeral?"

Charlie winced. "I would love that, Alice. Just don't bring Him here. I don't ever want to see his face again." Alice nodded.

Alice's head suddenly snapped up, and she stared off into the distance."Edward." She whispered.

Charlie grimaced. "Don't even say his name!"

Alice shook her head and looked at Charlie. "Sorry. Look Charlie, I have to go catch a flight. I'm sorry. Take care." She walked forward and gave him a hug.

"Bye, Alice." He said sadly.

Alice walked out of the room quickly. By the way she was acting, I could tell something was wrong. Her vision must have been bad. I followed Alice out the door, and felt a pang of guilt at leaving a heart broken Charlie behind. I ran back and tried to hug Charlie, but I just passed through him. Sighing, I went to go catch up with Alice. Alice was already in the car, so I followed. Her hands clenched the wheel and she lowered her head. With a movement so quick that I could hardly see it, she whipped out her cellphone. She punched in some numbers and waited for a few seconds.

"Rose!" She shouted. "Why did you tell him?! Why?!" She paused for a second. "Go back to normal? You should have known that nothing would go back to normal if Bella died!"

There was another pause, and I waited tensely, Alice was obviously talking to Rosalie.

"Well, you know what, Rosalie? You made a mistake. He's going to Italy." I gasped. Oh no. Edward wouldn't. HE WOULDN'T!

"Save your sorrow for someone who believes it." She slammed the phone shut and lowered her head again.

"Bella, why did you do this?!" She asked quietly. I reached out and put my hand on her shoulder. Her head snapped up, and she looked at me. I mean, DIRECTLY at me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she could see me.

"Alice," I began, "I didn't mean to kill myself. I honestly didn't. I'm sorry for causing everyone so much pain." I said contritely.

Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "B-Bella?"

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**ooooh?!**

**well, this is it for today. you MUST review...or maybe I won't update (for real this time)!**


	5. Chapter 5

So, I've decided to update because the positive reviews I've been getting. Also, this is for the occasion of Eclipse coming out. enjoy!

I was so shocked, that my hand dropped off of her shoulder. Alice talked to me. Directly. Like I was there. I stared at my hand confusedly, then looked back at Alice. Alice had shock and surprise written all over her face. She quickly turned away from me, and started the car. i saw her head turn in my direction again, and then faced forward again. Her head shook as if she couldn't believe something.

"I'm going crazy." She muttered.

For some reason, her statement gave me hope. Perhaps she could see me. She did look in my direction when I touched her shoulder. Emboldened, I reached out and laid my hand on her arm. Again, her head snapped in my direction. Her eyes widened. Alice reached out tentatively, and touched my hand. Feeling my solidity, she gasped.

"B-Bella! No, it can't be." Alice whispered.

A feeling of joy washed over me. She could see me! SEE ME! I shivered in delight at thte feel of someone touching me. Her touch wasn't as freezing cold to me as it was when I was alive, so it was very pleasant. Under her hand, I felt myself go solid. It was a feeling I had missed in my time as a ghost.

Abruptly, Alice pulled me into a tight hug. "Bella! Bella! You aren't dead!"

"Umm, Alice...I think I AM dead. I think I'm a ghost." I said unsurely. "Well, at least I think so..this could all actually be a really terrible dream." She pulled away and looked up at me.

"Bella, no...I don't think this is a dream. But-" She looked freaked out, her eyes were wide as saucers. "it doesn't make sense."

I shrugged and her eyes flashed angrily. "I saw you, you know. How could you jump off a cliff? Didn't you think of Charlie, my family and I, my brother? Didn't you think of all the pain you would cause? You killed yourself, Bella. I-" I held up my hands to stop her.

"I didn't commit suicide, Alice. It was an accident. Didn't you hear Charlie?"

She frowned. "But you looked so…out of it. Like you were..I don't know. Kind of dead inside."

I blanched. It was probably not the best idea to tell her that I had jumped off the cliff to hear Edward's voice. I internally cringed at the thought of his name. It was still so painful.

I shrugged again. "Alice, it was an accident. You might not believe me, but it's the truth. It's something that I can't take back."

She stared at me for a moment, and her shoulders sagged a little. "Then Bella, why are you still here? Aren't you supposed to be in Heaven?"

I looked down and started to shrug, but I quickly stopped myself. Alice probably wanted a full answer. "Alice, I don't really know. This one ghost told me that I had 'unfinished business'...but I have no clue what it is."

She turned from me and stared down at the steering wheel. Her head suddenly snapped up and she stared into space. I recognized this as a vision. "Oh no." She muttered.

"Alice, whats wrong?"

Alice looked at me blankly for a second, then registered. "I had a vision...about Edward going to Italy."

I exploded again. I had momentarily forgotten about Alice telling Rosalie that Edward had gone to Italy. "Alice! You can't let him!" I cried. "You can't let him go to the Volturi!"

She looked surprised. "How did you know about the Volturi?"

"Edward told me once. You remember Pheonix?" Alice shuddered.

"Yes."

"He told me that he had made plans to go to the Volturi if I had died on that day."

"Oh."

I paused. "Did you see him...did you see Ed-"I cringed.

Alice gave me a sympathetic look, and answered my mangled question. "It's kinda hard to tell, his plans keep on changing...but most of them end in the same way."

I cried out in pain. "What can we do?"

Alice turned her somber gold eyes on me. "Not much. You know he can read our minds, and he would run away before we could get to him."

"So why don't you tell him in your mind that I'm alive?"

"Because first of all, you're not. Second of all, it is possible to lie with you thoughts. And Edward knows that."

I tightened my grip on her arm. "There's got to be something we can do!"

We both paused. A brilliant idea was forming in my mind. Edward can't read MY mind.

"Alice, I've got an idea!"

She looked wary, but must have realized that I was dead and nothing could hurt me, so she graced me with a listening look. "Take me to Italy. Edward can't read my mind, so I'll be able to stop him."

"I don't know..." Alice looked thoughtful, but then immeasurably sad. "Bella, you're dead, and we both know Edward can't live without you. Would it really be the right thing to keep him from this?"

I couldn't believe Alice was saying this. "Alice, he's your brother. Do you really want him to die? And besides, I can't let him kill himself because he feels guilty."

"GUILTY?!" Alice exploded. "He doesn't feel _guilty_. He's killing himself because he loves you, and can't stand to be without you."

"Yeah right, Alice."

"Bella-"

"No!" I couldn't stand it. I couldn't let myself hope. It would hurt to much when my hope was smashed.

She turned back to the wheel, and we both realized the car was still running. "Alright."

She answered me, and put the car in gear.

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I floated around inside of the airplane as it flew to Italy. Alice had tried to buy me a ticket, but being my usual self; I wouldn't let her. After all, I was only visible when she touched me. So what was the point of taking up a seat? I didn't want to have to hold on to Alice's hand the whole trip either. To that she just snorted.

"Bella, I can't believe you. Besides I want to see you at all times. If we got separated, I wouldn't know, because I can't see you."

I just insisted, and I eventually wore her down.

So that's where I was now, on a plane. It was kind of interesting though, walking around without running into people. I just whooshed right through them if they got in the way. And I wasn't confined into a seat. That was a definite plus. I just had to make sure I never accidentally made contact with Alice. It might look weird if a girl just suddenly appeared.

This airplane trip might have been enjoyable, if my thoughts weren't focused on worrying about Edward dying. I wanted to know how he was. What was going on. I resisted the urge to reach out and ask Alice for updates. But I couldn't.

The whole trip was pure torture. I finally decided that I didn't think I could stand another minute of it; when the pilot's voice floated out of the intercom.

"...we are now landing..." the tinny voice said. I tuned the rest out and focused on not exploding with anxiety.

Finally, we landed. Thanks to my invisibility, I was the first one off. I stood there, waiting for Alice. My feet were pacing around, back and forth, over and over. Finally I saw her black spikey hair. I rushed over and grabbed her arm. Several surprised faces turned towards me. I realized my mistake and tried to let go. Alice gripped my hand tightly.

"Too late for that. If you let go, you'll just freak them out more." She hissed. I frowned and stopped struggling. We continued to walk through the airport.

Okay, thanks for reading! Enjoy reading Eclipse!

And if you would be so kind...review?


	6. Chapter 6

**HeyHeyHey! Back from reading Eclipse! And I decided to get right back on track with my fanfic. Ahh, it almost feels irrelevant now, with a new stephenie meyer book out...**

**But I shall continue! Enjoy.**

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Alice and I were still walking through the airport when a sour faced employee walked up and stood in front of us. She eyed me condescendingly, and gave us an annoyed look. 

"Excuse me miss, but could we get you a towel?" She asked in a snotty voice.

I felt a little weird about having her see me. Sadly, being invisible was starting to grow on me. My tongue didn't seem to want to move, and I'm sure I was giving her a deer caught in the headlights kind of look. Alice noticed my discomfort, and answered for me.

"No thank you, we were just on our way out."

"Miss, you're dripping all over the floor and we don't want anyone to slip and fall." She turned her pinched face on me and curled her lip.

Once again, Alice came to the rescue. "Sorry about any trouble we may have caused, but we just want to be on our way." And with that, Alice stepped around the employee and walked briskly towards the exit with me in tow.

She was practically dragging me, because she was walking so fast. I struggled to keep up. When we reached the exit, I glanced behind me. The pinched faced lady was still standing there, staring angrily at me.

Alice didn't realize that I had stopped walking, and she opened the door and my hand was ripped from her grasp. She continued to walk outside, and I saw her eyes slowly widen as she realized that I wasn't there. Alice turned around in a silent panic, looking for me.

"Bella?" She said loudly, though her voice was slightly muffled from the glass. Several people turned their heads to look at her. "Bella?"

Alice held our her hand tentatively, to try to make contact with me. She moved her arm in large, sweeping arcs. I stifled a giggle and closed my eyes as I walked forward and through the door. I quickly walked forwar to close the space between us, and stretched out my hand to meet Alice's. She visibly relaxed and turned towards me, which was the general direction most people were looking.

"This probably looks weird, doesn't it?" I whispered.

"No, not at all." Alice said sarcastically. "Come on, let's go."

"Umm, how? We're in Italy with no transportation."

Alice gave me a sly look. "Bella, you don't have anything against grand theft auto- do you?"

I smiled.

Okay, so when Alice said she was going to steal a car; I didn't expect this. I thought maybe she'd take something low profile and non descript. Like a Taurus. I had no clue she'd choose something flashy and attention getting as a Porsche! Actually, I'm lying when I say that I didn't expect it. I mean, it's Alice.

I ran my hand over the buttery leather interior. "Nice choice, Alice."

She flashed a grin at me. "Thanks." She said, not noticing my sarcastic tone.

Alice had her hands at ten and two on the wheel, like the perfect little driver she is. Except, that is, for the fact that she had the gas pedal pushed all the way to the floor. In that aspect, she was worse than Edward. But at least she kept her eyes on the road most of the time.

My hand rested lightly on her arm so that she could see me. It seemed that unless I touched her, she could not se me. Which is why she insisted that my hand touched hers at all times.

"Ok, so lets sort this out, Bella." She said, looking at me. So much for the whole eyes on the road thing.

"Sort what out?" I asked stupidly.

"This whole mess."

I didn't know where to start. How do you start on something like this?

Alice, however, seemed to know how. "Ok, so this is what I've gathered so far. You're dead, and a ghost." I was surprised by her matter of fact tone. "When I touch you, I can see you. But when I let go, you disappear. Right?"

"Right."

"Does this work on everyone? I mean, like humans and other vampires too?"

My brow furrowed in thought. I remember when I tried to hug Charlie. "I don't know about other vampires, but I don't think it works on humans." I paused and remembered Jacob's face when My hand touched his shoulder. "But...I do think werewolves can feel my presence."

Alice's eye brows shot up. "Werewolves?!"

."Well, you know Jacob Black? He's a werewolf. When I was in the hospital, I touched Jacob on the shoulder. He shivered and looked up, but his eyes didn't focus on me." My heart felt heavy at the thought of my best friend not being able to see me. 

"How did you know he was a werewolf?"

"Back when I was alive, I figured it out."

Her eyes flashed. "Bella, are you friends with him?" How she sensed that, I don't know.

"Yes, back before I...died. We were really close friends."

Alice looked outraged. "Bella! Don't you know how dangerous that was?! Any moment he could have snapped, and killed you!"

"But he didn't. And besides, what does it matter? I'm dead" I said sadly.

She seemed to catch herself and she was quiet for a moment. Alice looked like she was trying to reign herself in. "Ok...so vampires can see you, werewolves can feel your presence, and humans can't see you at all." She said slowly. "I think we can see you because technically, we're dead. I think werewolves can see you because they hunt vampires, and we're dead. So they must be sensitive to the dead." She paused for a few minutes. "I can't wait to tell Carlisle about this theory."

I pondered this for a moment. "Makes sense."

Alice shook her head and muttered.

"What was that?" I asked.

She stared at the wheel. "Werewolves, Bella? Werewolves? Why werewolves? Can't you just stick to one type of mythological creature?"

I grinned. "Guess not."

She didn't laugh. "I knew leaving you wasn't going to help you. I told Edward. I TOLD him."

I shook my head, which caused my wet hair to whip around me and hit my face."But it's not like he left _for_ me, was it?"

Alice looked at me, surpised. "What do you mean?"

I stared moodily at the dashboard. Didn't she realize that saying his name hurt me? The pain was still there, even after death. "He left me because he didn't love me anymore, Alice."

Alice looked at me, incredulous. "Bella, there is no way that Edward doesn't love you. I don't understand why you can't believe that. I don't understand how you could believe his lame excuse to leave."

I didn't say anything. "Bella, Edward loves you."

"Loved." I said, stressing the 'ed'.

Alice suddenly looked sad. "Thats another thing, Bella. Even if we do get there before Edward succeeds in his plans, do you really think he'll change his mind? I don't think he ever planned on outliving you by long and afterall you are...dead."

I glared at her. "He will change his mind." I stared fixedly at the road.

Alice sighed, but didn't say anything. A silence stretched out in the car, and I didn't bother to end it. I tried not to think too, as well as hope. There was no way that Edward could love me. No way.

"I just had another vision." Alice said suddenly. I looked up. "His plan is to walk into the sunlight in front of a crowd of people."

I was confused. "What? I don't get it. So the Volturi won't kill him?"

"Oh, they will, once he steps into the sunlight."

I frowned. "I still don't get it."

"The Volturi are very protective of their city. If Edward gives them away..."

"How long do we have?" I asked, panicked.

"Knowing Edward and his theatrical tendencies..." She looked like she was mentally calculating. "he'll choose when the sun is at it's highest and brightest. Around noon."

Great, so we had less than an hour. This was going to be impossible.

"On a different note," Alice said suddenly. "Welcome to Volterra."

A feeling of dread settled over me.

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**I am an evil little beastie for making this so short, and with a cliff hanger. :)**

**anyways, review me. Talk to me.**

**Kiss my fang: out**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for reviewing, everyone. I don't have time for a full chapter, so here's a little one for in between. it helps lead up to it.**

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I stared out the window of the Porsche, thinking. Volterra is a beautiful city, with rolling green hills, and the buildings that were made of stone. It was picturesque and storybook-like. How could such a terrible thing be about to happen in such a beautiful city? The death of Edward would be a terrible thing. Too terrible. How could I wander the Earth knowing he wasn't there? For I knew that seeing Edward again would probably help move me on to where I was supposed to go. I couldn't bear being on Earth for an eternity without him there. Even if he doesn't love me anymore. 

"Bella." Alice shook my hand a little bit. I turned slowly and looked at her. She motioned with her chin at the road ahead.

It was then that I realized we were on a road leading to a parking lot. We were surrounded by cars all trying to get in to Volterra. The road was thoroughly congested. I looked at Alice.

"What do we do?" There was no way we were going to be able to get a parking spot on time.

Alice looked frustrated. "Not much. Look." She waved her hand around us and pointed to the sun.

Great, just great. The sun's rays flooded Volterra in a way that it almost made your eyes go blind. The buildings of Volterra basked in the warm glow, and seemed to mock us. Alice could never go out in such sunshine.

"What are we going to do?! Why are there so many people!" I groaned exasperatedly.

"I think today is a festival." Alice groaned.

"Great." I said sarcastically.

In the past few minutes, we had not moved a single inch. I could practically feel the grains in the hour glass falling, counting down to that moment when Edward would throw himself out into the sunshine.

"Alice, there's got to be something we can do!"

Alice stared at the road ahead for a few seconds, then looked at me with a determined expression. "Bella, you're going to have to go alone."

What? Go without Alice? This wouldn't work without Alice, people can only see me when I'm touching her! "Alice, I can't!"

"Bella, you'll have to, we don't have any other chance."

"But he won't be able to see me!"

She grimaced. "Maybe not, maybe yes. We have to try. There's no other way."

"But Alice! I don't even know where to go."

"The big clock tower, you can't miss it. Go!"

I sat there, unmoving. "You do want to save him, don't you?" Alice asked severely.

"Yes." I said meekly.

"Then go! I'll park the car, and meet up with you as soon as I can."

"But-"

"Go!"

I jerked out of her grasp and threw myself out of the car. I bolted and ran as fast as I could out of the parking lot. I ducked my head down and stared at the ground, slowing down when I saw cobble stones underneath my hovering feet.

I looked up and found myself in the city of Volterra. There were thousands of people around me, all moving, all talking, all shouting. It was too much. There were a few people who stood out to me. They stood in a line, staring at me as I jogged by. I stopped. There were women and children, men, young and old. They had nothing in common, except that they were all deathly pale.

A child was running by and ran into one of the women. Instead of hitting her solidly, the child just ran right through. I shuddered as realization hit me.

They were ghosts. And they had died from vampires. That was why they had such a chalky complexion, all of the blood was drained from their bodies. A shiver ran up my spine as I looked at my hand, which still had a twinge of rosy color.

Their haunted eyes bored into me as I slowly started running again. Their faces looked sad and angry, bitter and harsh. Life was taken from them unwillingly and they were obviously mad about it. Their ancient grief-stricken eyes followed me, trying to tell me the futility of my quest.

And I had to wonder, what did it feel like to die? All I remember was a struggle, and blackness. When I was alive, death meant copious amounts of pain. It meant seconds, minutes, and possible hours of torture; and then a blankness. A void, possibly. Then the possibility of heaven or hell. Eternal peace, or eternal pain.

It was the uncertainty that frightened people, the possibility of _nothingness_. Something about not existing anymore scared people. I guess I could understand.

I just didn't expect there to be something else, a step in between. A ghost.

I almost laughed at the absurdity of the thought. Well, if there are werewolves and vampires, why can't there be ghosts? Was there a limit to anything? Could anything be done?

Was nothing impossible?

I clung to this thought like it was a life preserver.

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**hehe? Don't hate me for making it so short! there will be more soon, don't worry.**

**just review, is all...**


	8. Chapter 8

**A chapter that many of you have been waiting for. Volterra. Do enjoy! Please?**

**Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed!**

* * *

I continued running, trying to forget the ghosts I had just seen. I could still feel their dead eyes boring into my back. They unnerved me with their emotionless faces, because even though they made no sign of it, they seemed to laugh at me.

The world seem transformed for some festival that held no relevance. The pointlessness of it all was apparent to even me, someone just passing though. Red banners and cloaks, plastic fangs…did they not even know what they were celebrating. It was all very ludicrous, the excitement in the air. The children sitting on the shoulders of their parent's straining to see nothing. The stretched out grins on over-excited faces, the tangible anticipation in the air held nothing for me, except for the dread for the stroke of noon.

It was also times like this that I was glad I wasn't human. For surely I would have tripped by now on the bumpy street. i stopped for a moment in the square and looked around me. After a quick 360 I realized that the clock tower Alice saw in her vision was right in front of me. The tall figure seemed a guardian of the city, oppressing me and reminding of the little time I had left. I shuddered away from it's sheer height, and tried to find my purpose. Now where was...?

At that moment, I saw a sight I'd never thought I'd see again. There, barely covered in the shade of an alley, was my angel. His shirt lay in a discarded pile at his feet. His bare chest and face were slashed with sunlight, making him glitter faintly. His face was turned up to the sky, eyes closed. I stood for a moment, drinking him in. I had not seen him in so long.

Suddenly, I heard a faint click and the low toll of a large bell. Startled, I glanced up.

Noon, the bold face of the clock tower told me. Time is out. Edward took a small step forward, hands out. I instinctively began running again, as fast as I could. I pumped my arms and propelled across the square, running with wild abandon. Blindly, I sprinted through people, not caring about obstacles, because I could de-materialize through them. Up ahead, there was a large fountain, right in the middle of the square. Since I was cutting across the square directly to get to Edward faster, I didn't go around it. I closed my eyes and passed through the fountain. Being a ghost had its perks.

I heard the bell rumble a third time, and I sped up even more. Edward can't die. He can't. _Just hold on, wait a second or two. _I prayed silently as I sprinted. If there was a god, I would get to Edward on time.

The clock rang for the fourth time, and then a fifth. I cannon-balled into Edward. He staggered back a step (and barely that) with a soft oomph.

"Edward, move back!" I shrieked. Edward stayed put and wrapped he arms around me.

"So quick." He whispered. "And painless. They're quite good." He drew in a huge breath, and his eyebrows lowered infinitesimally. "You don't smell as good as before. But I don't care, I'll take it." He tucked his chin over my shoulder and squeezed, me tighter.

"Edward!" I yelled as I laid my hand flat on his chest and tried to push him back. "You're not dead yet!"

He chuckled softly and opened his eyes. "Death that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy..." He paused as he ran his hands through my hair, and he frowned slightly. "Bella...why are you so wet?"

"Because..." I looked for the correct wording that wouldn't freak him out. "I have not left this earth yet. Now get in the shade!"

He opened his eyes wider and he turned his head around to look at something. In an instant, he had shoved me behind him, with our backs facing the alley wall. I felt myself turn invisible again as soon as his hand left my arm.

"Edward, hello again." A male voice said. "Aro would like to speak with you."

I peeked around Edward. Two men wearing long cloaks stood in front of us. The one who had spoken had black hair, and the other had brown. Two pairs of glowing red eyes set in unnaturally beautiful faces stared back at us. I shuddered. Vampires, and not the vegetarian kind.

"Tell him that I shall have to cancel my request." Edward said in a polite tone.

"And leave you alone to throw yourself into the sunlight as soon as we leave? I don't think so." The black haired vampire said as he stepped forward menacingly.

"Hmm," Edward said, somewhat disinterestedly, "I've decided against it. I think I shall leave."

The black haired vampire moved forward again. "Oh, I see-" He swiftly leaned over and looked behind Edward, in my general direction. He frowned in confusion, but continued snidely. "Where's that young lady from a minute ago?"

Edward's head spun in my direction and I stared at his empty eyes. I wish I could reach out and assure him of my presence, but that would also mean the two cloaked vampires could see me.

"What young lady?" I caught the anguished undertones in his voice.

The black haired vampire looked around some more. "The one standing here, hugging you a second ago!" He said fiercely, but with the beginnings of uncertainty in his voice.

Edward shook his head slowly. "There was no girl." He said, notes of anguished truth shining through, and in that moment I realized that he no longer thought I existed.

The vampires just stared at him threateningly for a few minutes, and Edward stared back dully. Without warning, they stepped to each side of Edward and grabbed his arm roughly and began to drag him down the alley, away from the square.

They didn't say anything, and in this I began to assume that they knew Edward could read minds. Though Edward didn't say anything to respond to their thoughts, I assumed also that he didn't really care about what they said. I began to panic, afraid that they would give Edward what he wanted. I followed them worriedly. What could I do? I became lost in my thoughts, wondering where we were going and what they were going to do to Edward.

Suddenly, I found myself outside of Volterra. The two vampires shoved him away roughly and Edward stood there, his face expressionless.

Then the black haired vampire finally spoke. "Got it? You step back in Volterra, we will do worse than kill you. We will lock you up and make you live the rest of eternity alone, and you will never see your precious human again. Ever." And with that, they stalked off and left Edward there.

He said nothing, and didn't move. His skin glittered like a million diamonds in the persistent sunshine.

I stepped forward and looked around me. No one was there. I slowly reached out my hand and grabbed Edward's. I savored the coolness, it no longer chilled me.

At the feel of my touch, his head twisted in my direction and he gasped.

"Not again." He moaned, and his face twisted in agony and grief.

I frowned.

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**I know Felix and Demetri weren't like in the story, sorry if I got the descriptions wrong. Imagine them as two other volterra vampires, if that helps you. oh, and sorry about the cliffhanger...**

**you'll forgive me right?**

**Will you review? Please?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for reviewing, everybody! **

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What do you mean, 'not again'?!" I asked quizzically.

"I can't believe that I'm talking to a figment of my imagination!" Edward said, exasperated. He put his free hand over his eyes.

"What?" I asked, shocked. "I'm not part of your imagination."

"Oh, aren't you?" He said sarcastically.

"No!"

Just then, I saw Alice walking towards us. Her pale skin glittered like Edward's. Her hair, which shone in the sunlight, gave the appearance of a black halo around her head. Immediately I called out to her for help.

"Alice, he doesn't think I'm real!"

Alice reached us and looked at Edward sternly. "Edward-"

"Rosalie told me she was dead!" Edward cried. "She called me up and said-INSISTED- that Bella was dead!"

"Rosalie shouldn't have called you." Alice said gravely.

Edward looked up hopefully and I felt my heart sink. "You mean...?"

He looked so pitiful that neither Alice nor I had the heart to tell him. As the pause grew longer, Edward looked up and growled.

"Alice," he said desperately and angrily, "I want to know."

I heard Alice sigh and I looked back. Alice was staring at Edward fixedly, with a defeated expression on her face. With each second that passed by Edward sagged a little, until he eventually and suddenly dropped to his knees. Not in relief, it seemed, but in anguish. Startled, I fell down with him because I was still holding his hand.

"She...she jumped off a cliff?" Edward asked quietly. Alice nodded. "Was it...did she...commit suicide?" He gasped that last bit painfully.

"I didn't commit suicide!" I argued, annoyed. Edward turned to me, obviously he had forgotten I was there.

"Bella." He seemed to be relishing the sound of my name, as I was relishing the sound of his velvet voice saying it. "Bella. How is it that I can see you?" He looked genuinely confused, as if he was questioning his sanity.

"Oh, Alice didn't tell you?" I looked sardonically at Alice referring to their previous mind conversation.

Edward shook his head.

"Well, apparently there are more than two kinds of mythical creatures out there..." and I began to explain the whole thing to Edward, right from the beginning where he left me in the forest.

* * *

We still sat on the grass, my hand entwined with Edward's. I had just told him everything: the months of emptiness, my death, the enigma that is my ghostliness, and of course of how his voice came to me when I did dangerous things. All of this he took morosely. I could tell that the things I said ate him up on the inside; his eyes burned with an intense regret and sorrow.

There was an awkward silence after the explanation, I doubt that anyone knew what exactly to say. What was there to say? "What's it like to be dead?" I nearly smiled at the thought of either of them saying that, because technically, they were dead too.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." Edward blurted, but his voice rang with anguished sincerity. "I shouldn't have left. I just thought that I could save you if I left. I never meant for this to happen."

I looked at him confusedly. "Save me from what? Victoria?"

"No. Me!" I stared at him. "Don't you see?! Every moment that I spent with you, you were in danger. I...I couldn't stay."

"You mean you didn't leave because you didn't love me anymore?" I asked quietly and frailly, not daring to hope.

Edward's eyes filled with ancient grief, and he seemed a little bit mad. "No! I couldn't even understand why you believed that! As I told you those horrible, untrue things, I looked you in the eyes and I could tell that you believed me. Believed me! Why? How could you believe those things so easily, when I told you a million times that I loved you?"

I couldn't believe this. Alice couldn't be right. Suddenly, a phrase that Edward had once said rang through my head. _Never bet against Alice._

"It never made sense for you to love me. I'm plain, and uninteresting, and human." I said in a tiny voice.

Edward lowered himself to my eye level and grabbed my upper arms. "Bella. Bella, no. How could you even think that?" His eyes smoldered, and I could practically feel myself melting in his arms. "You are the most beautiful, intelligent creature on this earth; and I am an idiot for leaving you. You are my angel, and I love you."

I froze. What? No. "No, you don't." I whispered numbly.

He groaned. "Bella, how can you believe the lie, but not the truth?"

I refused to make eye contact with him. "Bella." He tried to get my attention, but I resisted. "Bella, please look at me." I slowly and unwillingly looked up. When he spoke, he enunciated every word perfectly. "I'm a good liar, I have to be. But I'm not lying now; I love you and I promise to never leave you again." He hugged me close. "I know you don't believe me now, but I promise that I'm going to spend the rest of eternity proving it too you."

I felt an odd sensation blooming in my chest. Anger. "I'm dead! A ghost! I will have no eternity."

"Bella-" Alice held out a hand to placate me. To be honest, I had completely forgotten she was there.

"No! Look, he can't just think everything will go back to normal, because it won't. I'm dead." I shouted. I was surprised at the anger I felt. Those months of solitude and grief came back to me in painful waves. I crumpled to the ground, and lay there. Edward tried to touch my shoulder with his free hand, but I shook him off. I reached out my other hand and grabbed Alice's, and let go of Edward's.

"I am a monster!" Edward cried out.

Alice spoke again after accepting my hand grudgingly. "Edward, we'll deal with this later. We need to go, the Volturi might change their mind." I could practically feel her pitying gaze on me, and I curled up tighter into a ball on the ground.

I heard nothing, so I assumed Edward had silently replied. A pair of cold arms suddenly wrapped around me and gathered me from the ground, and I let out a tiny squeak in surprise. My hand slipped from Alice's grasp as the arms hugged me tighter. They held me strongly and lovingly, and I could only guess at their owner. But I didn't break away, because suddenly I felt complete, at home.

A velvet voice spoke in my ear softly, so that I had to strain to hear the words.

"I will find the thing keeping you here, Bella. So you can move on to heaven, and live with the other angels. I love you."

It could have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I felt a soft kiss planted on my cold, wet hair.

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**Hey, thanks for reading! I know it's short...but it's all I have time to write for now.**

**Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Alright, guys. Here is a speedy update and a chapter thats a tad bit longer than the others. Enoy!**

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The car ride was quiet and fairly uneventful. Alice drove and Edward and I sat in the back seat. We didn't speak, but Edward dropped kisses on my nose, forehead, face; pretty much anywhere my skin was exposed. 

I had also thoroughly ruined the interior of the car. The water dripping off my skin and hair had soaked into the brown leather of the seats and the carpeting on the floor. When we got into the car, about an hour or so ago, Edward had refused to let go of me. I fingered his sodden t-shirt. "Sorry about that." I said sheepishly.

"No worries." Edward said and tightened his hold on me. I looked up at his perfect and heart breakingly beautiful face. His eyes held mine, and I felt myself lose all thought. His golden eyes gazed into mine and I forgot how to move, think, breath...in fact, if I were still mortal, I think I'd be turning blue by now. Thankfully, I wasn't.

His face edged closer to mine, centimeter by centimeter. His face loomed a scant few millimeters from mine and slowly, tentatively his lips brushed against mine. It was light, beautiful, a butterfly kiss. He pulled away a few inches and looked at me shyly, as if he still thought I was mad at him.

Absurd. I had forgiven him the second we had gotten in the car. He was so sweet and beautiful, it was hard to stay mad at him. I was also beginning to think maybe he was lying when he said he didn't love me anymore.

To answer him, I shook my head and pressed my lips hard and passionately against his. I felt his mouth turn upwards at the corners against mine.

Alice cleared her throat loudly and we pulled apart. "I'm really sorry to interrupt," She said sincerely. "But we're here." I craned my neck to look around Edward and out the window.

We were parked in front of a beautiful house. Mansion, really. It was at least 3 stories tall and had many windows. It was painted white with a pale green for trim.

Alice opened her door and stepped out, her feet crunching on the gravel. Taking her lead, Edward stepped out too, me still cradled in his arms.

"Your house?" I asked, not the least bit surprised. The Cullen family always knew how to pick the classiest house on the block.

Edward only smirked and walked up to the steps leading to the wrap around porch. Immediately the door flew open and 5 vampires spilled out. They saw Alice first.

"Oh, Alice, thank goodness." Esme said as Jasper pulled Alice into a tight hug. Everyone looked away to give them privacy. That's when they saw Edward.

No one said anything for awhile, they stood there obviously relieved at Edward's return. But then Esme rushed over and embraced him, which was kind of awkward because I was sandwiched in the middle.

"Wha-, Bella?" She asked incredulously.

"Uh, hi?"

"Bella!" She cried as she carefully pulled me out of Edward's arms and into her own. I saw Edward frown slightly, but the frown was quickly smoothed away as Carlisle put his hand on Edward's shoulder. Esme squeezed me tight, then suddenly pulled back to look at me. "We thought...Alice saw...Rosalie said...Oh, I'm so relieved!"

"Alice, you said she was dead." Rosalie said loudly, obviously confused.

The word "she" held a weight on her tongue, as if she couldn't even call upon herself to actually say my name. The word hung in the air, but then a few minutes later conversation continued and Rosalie was ignored.

"Bella dear, let's get you dried off. Come inside." She began to unwind me from her arms.

"Wait!" I cried, but it was too late. I had disappeared.

Everybody reacted in a different way. Edward's face changed to that of one in pain, and he threw out his arms searching for me. Esme covered her mouth with her hands and looked stunned. Carlisle's hand tightened on Edward's shoulder, and he seemed at a loss for words. Alice was the only one who remained calm. She pulled away from Jasper as he tried to send out waves of calm to everybody. She stepped forward to near where Edward was standing, and reached out her hand.

Her sparkling hand hung there, a lifeline. I looked at everyone's faces. They stared at Alice, wondering what she was doing. Minutes passed by, and everyone was still standing there.

"She's not holding out her hand to us." Edward said, obviously answering somebody's thought.

I jumped back to reality then and grabbed Alice's hand. Her face relaxed and she handed me back to Edward, who then proceeded to hold me tightly and kiss me repeatedly.

"What the-" Emmett said.

"What just happened?!" Jasper asked to no one in particular.

"Bella's a ghost." Alice stated matter of factly

I had to smile at the tactless way she said that.

I had politely declined on helping to explain to the other Cullens my current condition. Instead I sat on a sofa in their livingroom, listening to their voices drifting from Carlisle's office.

From the inside, this house looked very much like their previous one. Same furniture, white walls...Edward's piano. Edward.

He hadn't wanted me to sit out from the explanation with the rest of the family. He didn't understand that hearing it a few times, as well as having to live the tale was hard enough. I couldn't bear it.

Then he insisted on staying with me.

"No," I said. "Go."

"Bella."

"Edward."

He sighed. "Bella please, I've gone so many months not being with you. Please." He did that unfair smoldering eye thing.

I sighed back, trying to fight what my heart was telling me. I wanted him to stay, to hold me tight and never let go. But I also wanted him to be there with the rest of he family when they were told what had happened to me. It was a tough fight, because asking him to stay with me was such a tempting idea, but I remained firm. He must have noticed the steely glint in my eye, because he gave me a defeated look.

"But how will I find you?" He asked with a face that reminded me of a child's.

I kissed him squarely on the lips. "I'm not going anywhere." I said quietly but with a seal of a promise.

He nodded slowly and hesitantly walked away, looking in the general direction I was. I looked at him the whole way, until he disappeared up the stairs.

Now it had been half an hour, and still waiting, when all of the Cullens suddenly appeared downstairs. They all filed into the living room, finding seats.

I saw Jasper walk towards the sofa, and choose a seat with his eyes. I just didn't think at the time he would sit where I was sitting. I let out a surprised squeek while Jasper shot out of the couch and into the air. The seat of Jasper's pants were soaked from sitting on me, and I erupted into a fit of giggles.

The rest of the Cullens laughed uproariously at Jasper's stunned expression.

"Thanks for telling me Alice." Jasper said accusingly.

"Sorry." Alice said, but not sounding sorry at all.

Smirking, Edward got up and walked over to where I was before I disappeared, and held out his hand. I grabbed it and he pulled me onto his lap as he sat down.

"Sorry, Jasper." I said between fits of giggles.

He seemed to have gotten over the surprise, and seemed bemused about the situation. "No, it's my fault. Sorry."

After everyone was settled, Emmett was still laughing uncontrollably.

Rosalie smacked him, but I could see a hint of a smile on her lips.

"What?" Emmett said sulkily. "It was funny."

"Okay, if you're quite finished Emmett, we have a plane to catch." Carlisle said, smiling.

"What?" I said, taken by surprise.

"Maybe you should have come to the family meeting." Edward said smugly.

Carlisle eyed him for a minute then replied to me. "Well, we need to go back to Forks, for your umm...funeral. Alice told him we'd come?"

He seemed to have a hard time saying "your funeral", it was obvious he caught himself from saying something else. Everybody suddenly looked sober, and sad. They obviously thought the whole thing was their fault, and I could feel their pitying and tortured gazes on me.

"Yes." I said numbly. _Your funeral._ It sounds so strange. Sometimes, like now, I forget that was dead. "Ok, then."

* * *

Once again, I found myself on a plane. But this time it was to go back home. And to attend my funeral. I guessed that I should feel lucky; I mean, how many people get to go to their funeral? See how many people attend, hear what they say about you.

But I didn't want to know all those things.

I was going back to Forks, where I'd see my father and mother grieving. Maybe even some kids at school grieving. I almost didn't want to see it; to see people sad because of me.

And most importantly, it was going to be painful to see Jake again.

I tried to find something to block out my worried thoughts as I rattled around in the airplane aisle ways. I amused myself by watching the people. A young woman in the back of the airplane sat with what appeared to be her mother, her husband or boyfriend, and her baby. The mom and the girl who apparently had just left her teens were arguing over something controversial.

"You're just being bitter, mom." She said and stood up to walk over to the airplane bathroom and change her baby's diaper.

I felt a pang of sympathy for both the mother and the daughter.

As the girl walked by, the two flight attendants staked out in the back of the plane abruptly stopped talking. They watched her with their eyes until she was behind the door of the bathroom. Then they began talking again. I walked closer to hear.

"She held it together real well until the end…" She said and made hurling motions. The other flight attendant bit back a laugh.

I shook my head and walked away. For a few minutes I floated around aimlessly, telling myself that I wasn't _exactly_ eavesdropping. It was more like watching TV, right? I passed by Edward at the front of the plane and stopped. His hands were clenched tightly on the arm rests, and he looked both exasperated and anxious. The business man clacking away on his laptop next to him looked up every few minutes at Edward, with an expression of confusion.

I guess I would've been confused too.

My gaze fell on two teenage girls sitting next to each other, carrying on a quiet conversation. One was thumbing through a rather hefty science book, and the other arguing animatedly. I unintentionally moved closer.

"Jill," the one without the textbook insisted, "what you're saying doesn't make sense. Just because you can't _see_ something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

The girl who's name was Jill shook her head and replied patiently, "I wasn't saying that you have to see it for that thing to exist. No. Our human eyes can't see many things."

Jill didn't know how right she was.

"But," Jill continued on, "something does have to have matter to exist."

The other girl sighed in defeat and pulled a copy of Jane Eyre from underneath her jacket on her lap, and seemingly became absorbed. "I still think you're wrong." she murmured over the cover. Jill said nothing and smiled.

I thought about what the girl Jill had said. _Something has to have matter to exist_. Do I have matter? I can float right through walls. I wasn't even solid, not completely even when the Cullens touched me. I was just visible, and a little tangible. No, I had left my body behind.

So what was I? Did I exist?

* * *

**Oh, having doubts are we, Bella?**

**Thanks for reading! Review! Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Well, I decided to update again, since I know you all are _dying_ with anticipation.**

**I kid, of course.**

**Thanks for reviewing, and enjoy this next chapter. Things are going to get...sticky.**

* * *

"Everybody, fasten your seatbelts we are now landing in Port Angeles," Announced the tinny voice over the intercom. 

I floated through the aisle ways, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. Thankful, of course, that the Cullen's didn't insist that they buy me an airline ticket. They must have realized how weird it would have looked to see a girl who was soaking wet sitting on the plane.

We were on our way back to Forks, Washington, where my funeral was to take place. _My funeral._ I still hadn't gotten used to the phrase. Who ever in there lifetime gets to discuss it, except for old people? I'm sure all of the other ghosts I had met so far hadn't been to their funerals.

Oh, and my newest discovery: I might not exist! Things sure were looking up.

Finally we landed at the airport, and everyone stepped out of their seat into the aisle. I saw Edward searching for me discreetly, even though he knew that I couldn't go to him. I would make contact with one of the Cullens in the car, where the public couldn't see me. They couldn't just have a girl appear out of nowhere, could they?

Like before, I was the first one off the plane thanks to my cool ghostly abilities. I calmly waited in the lobby next to the entrance for Edward and his family. It was then that I began to wonder what came next. I mean, after my funeral. Was Edward going to try to help me move on? Or were they going to keep me with them forever, only to be seen when one of them touched me? Either way it was a no win situation. If they helped me move on, then Edward would go right back to the Volturi, and kill himself. If they kept me around; well, I'd always be dripping water and not be seen all the time. No win situation.

As if called by my thoughts, the Cullens came walking out the entrance. Edward was obviously nervous, looking this way and that; while Alice was obviously trying to reassure him. I laughed a little at Edward's worry and walked out the exit, also laughing at the fact the Cullen's walked out the entrance door.

I stood behind them as they suddenly stopped, Alice and Rosalie branching out from the group. _Practicing some grand theft auto, I see._ They came back a few minutes later, Rosalie driving a Mazda Miata and Alice driving a Honda Acura. I almost laughed.

The seven Cullens divided into two groups. Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett all filed into Rosalie's car; and Jasper and Edward walked over to Alice's car. Edward looked around worriedly one more time and at a rebuke from Alice, got in the car. Rosalie drove off while Alice left the car stalling for a few minutes, and I took my chance to float over to the sporty little car. Without opening the door, I stepped in.

"Edward, don't worry, she'll be here." Alice said soothingly.

"Yeah, I can actually feel her emotions right now." Jasper agreed with Alice.

"Really? What's she feeling?" Edward seemed surprised.

"Umm, somewhere between mirth and amusement."

"There's a fine line there." Alice mused.

I giggled a little at my silliness and leaned over to Edward. Careful not to touch him accidentally with my legs or hands, I leaned over and pressed my lips to his. I felt myself appear.

Edward was slightly startled but returned the kiss with a smile, his arms snaking around my waist and pulling me to him

I settled myself down in Edward's lap, ready for the car ride ahead.

* * *

I could practically feel myself hyperventilating. We were just on the outskirts of Forks, that much closer to my funeral. That much closer to my father and Jacob. I cringed slightly. 

"Don't worry, Bella." Edward said, sensing my distress.

"What are we going to do when we get there?" I quavered.

Alice answered instead. "Well, your funeral is tomorrow, and WE'LL be attending. Edward however, was specifically asked not to come by your father."

Edward seemed shocked for a second, but then after reading her mind, he sobered. "I see."

* * *

It was the night before my funeral, and I paced around the room with Edward in tow. The Cullens were back in their house, with the excuse of wanting to be there for the funeral. 

"Bella, really, what are you worried about?" Edward asked sadly.

"I don't know… it's just…seeing my family so sad."

"I'm sorry." He said sincerely, pulling me into a hug. His back was to the window, with me facing it. Suddenly I saw something I had never seen in Forks before. A dawn.

* * *

"My friends, we are gathered here today to honor the life of a young girl taken before her time…" 

Charlie, as I heard from Alice, had specifically asked for a nonreligious burial. I blanked out for some of the man's speech, while staring at the crowd around my coffin. All of the faces were sad, especially my parents. My mother wept inconsolably into Phil's shoulder, while my father stood alone his grief.

My heart broke at the sight of him. His appearance had changed over the few days I was away; his hair had grayed some, dark bags had formed under his eyes, and he now resembled a scare crow because of the weight lost. I wanted to go over and hug him, but I knew I could not do so.

At first I hadn't wanted to come. The faces of grieving loved ones would most likely prove to be too much for me.

"You don't have to go." Esme said kindly, her face partially covered with a black veil.

And I was about to say no, but then something changed in me. I don't know what exactly, but it was an impulse to go to the funeral.

"No, I want to go." I said confidently.

And here I was, staring at the backs of my loved one's heads.

It kind of amazed me how many people were there. Nearly everyone from school was present, even teachers. My family, and all of Jacob's pack. Everyone had a look of grievance on their face, sadness, and sobriety. The people were a mass of black, black clothing for mourning. The Cullens had covered each inch of their skin with black, both for mourning and for the fact that the sun was peeking out from behind the clouds. They blended in nicely. Suddenly, the man stopped talking, and all was quiet. Then, a person walked up next to him. Jacob. My breath caught in my throat as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Bella was…Bella was my best friend. She was amazing, beautiful, intelligent, lively, caring, she never said a bad word about anyone. She was so perfect…so perfect that it's unfair that she was taken away. Taken away to where people can't see her everyday, and get to realize how truly beautiful she was.

"She always thought about others before herself, no matter what. Even if she herself was in a situation where she could get hurt, she always made sure you were okay first. I just don't understand what could take away such an angel. Surely there is no god. No god could bring upon himself to take away such a beautiful person. There was not a day—not a day—where Bella ceased to care about other people.

"It's not fair that such a perfect person had to die when all of us selfish, flawed people get to live. It's not fair that my best friend, and I'm sure yours too, had to die. I just wish I could have one more day with her; no, even a moment would be enough, to tell her how much I love her." Jacob's face crumpled slightly, and I could tell that tears were near. Paul walked over to him and put his arm around Jake's shoulders.

I started sobbing tearlessly, as Jake and Paul ran off into the woods; Jake no doubt changing into a werewolf.

I followed and watched Jake in wolf form, dodging through the trees. Finally, he stopped and stood in a clearing. Many uncountable minutes passed by, and I watched him. As I watched him, an idea struck me. I ran back to my funeral, which had just dispersed.

I ran through the crowd, searching. Finally, my eyes fell on who I needed.

Alice was at the far side of the crowd, near the wood. Perfect.

I ran forward and grabbed her hand. Startled, she quickly walked back a few steps to the cover of the woods. "Alice, Alice! Will you do me a favor?" I asked breathlessly.

She stared at me for a moment, but then I saw her eyes shift and glaze over a little. She was having a vision.

She turned her face back to me, with a worried look. "I don't know Bella, this could end badly."

"Please!" I begged, already feeling the opportune moment slipping.

She must have recognized this in my eyes, and sighed. "Edward won't like this." Alice said quietly, but motioned me to lead the way.

I began running to where I had left Jacob, all the while holding Alice's hand. I finally reached the clearing. Good, Paul was gone, and Jacob was alone. He was also no longer in wolf form. I took a deep breath and looked at Alice. She motioned me to go forward; and I did; dragging her behind me.

As I left the shelter of the forest, Jake whipped around and looked at me. I saw his eyes widen and he cried out.

"You!" He yelled, running over to Alice and I. "Bloodsucker! Because of you, Bella died! You—"

"Jake!" I yelled, and Jake looked back at me.

"Wha--? Bella?" He looked about ready to fall over from shock.

"Yes, it's me." I said breathlessly.

"I don't…" Jake began.

"Wait, just hold on." I interrupted. "Jake, I just wanted to let you know that it's okay. Don't worry about me, it was an accident, and it was also purely my fault."

"No," He said with self-loathing. "I couldn't save you. I failed."

"Jake! Jake, stop. We both know it was an accident." He said nothing, so I continued. "I heard you say you loved me. Jake…I wanted to say good-bye."

"Good-bye? But Bella…you're here." He said confusedly, and swayed a little on his feet.

"Yes, but not really…" I said unhelpfully.

"I don't understand." He quavered.

"Don't try to…just—just know that I love you, and that I want you to live on and forget me."

Then I saw him do something I had never seen a guy do before. He fainted.

I didn't think to try and catch him, and too late I cringed as he hit the ground. I rushed over and kneeled.

"Jake…" I said, shaking his shoulder. I started to feel strange. Creepy, tingly sensations crawling all over my body. I rubbed my arm absentmindedly.

"Bella!" Alice shrieked.

I looked at her and followed the direction of her gaze. My arm, which she was still holding, was beginning to disappear. I gasped in astonishment.

I could see myself disappear centimeter by centimeter. Suddenly, I saw a man appear out of the corner of my eye. I looked up. It was the man with knife in his chest from before. My mouth dropped in astonishment.

He regarded me with a look of envy. Finally he spoke. "Guess you found what it is that was keeping you here. Lucky. Not all of us find it so quickly."

Suddenly everything fell into place. Jacob was what was keeping me here, and all I had to do was give him my final words. I panicked; I wasn't going to get to say good-bye to Edward.

"Alice!" I screamed.

She was panicked too. "EDWARD!" She yelled in the loudest voice I've ever heard her use. It was loud, and urgent.

I heard a whoosh, and suddenly Edward was by my side. His face clearly showed his confusion and fear. "Alice, what's going on?"

"Edward, she's—she's moving on." She cried out, and I looked at my arms, they had nearly disappeared. Edward, noticing this, grabbed my waist.

"Alice, what do I do?" He said frantically.

Alice said nothing, and the bloody man spoke. "You do nothing, you selfish teenager. Let her move on."

But Edward couldn't hear him.

"Edward—Edward, you're going to have to bite her."

"I can't." He said with the torn face I remember from the last time this situation occurred in Phoenix.

"Look Edward, "Alice said in the most forceful voice I've ever heard her use. "Either you let her move on, or bite her."

Just like in Phoenix, a look of determination came on his face. He lowered his head to my disappearing neck. "I'm sorry." He said, and then plunged his teeth into my jugular.

"What're you doing?" I screamed, and he bit again. "I'm dead; it's not going to work."

He said nothing and bit my neck on the other said, over and over again. "Stop! You can't make something out of nothing!"

I tried to bite out an explanation.

"You have to try." He said and bit again.

I felt hardly anything. I doubted ghosts felt pain. But there was something, _something_- a little tinge that I felt, and it gave me hope.. "Edward!" He bit again and again.

Everything faded to black.

* * *

**let me know if you have any questions about things that are confusing you.**

**thanks for reading!**

**and make sure you review!**

**Kiss my fang: out**


	12. Chapter 12

**whew. sorry it took a few days to get this up. I had a little trouble with the ending. I had several ideas, and decided on two. This is the official ending, and I'll be writing an alternate ending. The alternate ending will be posted on a later date.**

**This way we all win! alright, read and enjoy!**

* * *

Edward sat on his black leather couch in his room, his head cradled in his hands. He appeared to be in deep thought, or in deep sadness. His hair was messy, as it always was. But still beautiful. Always beautiful. He still resembled an angel, celestial, heavenly, nearly unattainable. A sad angel. 

Alice slowly walked into the room. "I can't believe you feel bad about this. You need to let go of your guilt." She said sadly while shaking her head.

"She didn't want me to bite her, what was I thinking? Who knows, she might have stayed a ghost." He said with self-loathing, not even bothering to look up. "It could have worked! Of course, she was always wet, and she disappeared when one of us wasn't touching her…but it could have worked! I didn't have to-"

"But, Edward—"

"No, I shouldn't have. Alice, is she…?"

Alice shook her head in bewilderment. "Edward, you idiot, she's—"

He cried out. "She's mad?" He wailed.

"Edward-"Alice began soothingly.

I decided to walk into the room. I walked in quietly, trying not to attract attention.

"I'm not mad, Edward." I said softly.

Both Alice's and Edward's head snapped up. Alice smiled.

"Bella." He breathed and walked up towards me as if to take me in his arms. He suddenly stopped and his arms fell down to his sides, he looked at me as if he were still afraid that I was mad at him. Silly Edward.

I closed the distance between us and hugged him really tight. I felt his arms snake around my waist and hug me back. I pressed my face against his shoulder.

"Edward, how can I be mad at you? You gave me a chance to live." I said softly in his ear.

"You could have moved on…I—I was going to let you. But when I saw you, disappearing, I…couldn't. I just couldn't. I thought I was strong enough, but I'm not." He said with self-loathing.

"Why? You know I've always wanted this. You know that if you didn't…then you might never see me again."

There was a long, dreadful pause. I pulled away, and stood back a few steps. A horrible though occurred to me. "Do you not love me anymore?" I choked.

He immediately looked alarmed, and jumped forward and grabbed me. "NO! No. Bella, Bella listen to me. I love you."

Only a little bit of my fear dissolved. "I know, but…"

He grabbed me roughly and kissed me. I had never experienced a kiss like this from him before. It was wild, crazy, careless. There were no boundaries.

Suddenly a loud hoot came from behind us. We sprang apart, and I saw the whole family behind us. Emmett's grinning face alerted me to the fact that it was him who hooted at us.

"FINALLY!" He yelled, pronouncing every syllable with exasperation. The whole family smiled and wrapped an arm around their husband or wife. Edward smiled back and did the same. I, however, was a bit embarrassed by the whole situation. I wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. I wanted to disappear.

Suddenly Edward's arm flopped to his side and everyone gasped. I looked around, searching for the source of their surprise. I found no reason. "Bella?!" Edward said in alarm.

"Yes?"

"Bella! Where are you?" He cried again, and everyone in the room began swinging their arms around searching for me. As if I was still a ghost.

Then it clicked. I must have disappeared. How odd. I remembered the things I was feeling when I disappeared. Embarrassment, the want to disappear. So…if I wanted to APPEAR, would that work? I concentrated on wanting to appear. _I want to appear. I want to appear. I want to appear._ Nothing.

Meanwhile, the family was still searching around frantically. It would be amusing if it weren't so scary. "Bella! Bella! Where'd she go?" Emmett said.

"She's gone!" Edward wailed.

"No, she's not. I can feel her emotions!" Jasper said breathlessly.

I couldn't handle seeing him so sad. _See me, please see me._

A rushing feeling overcame me, one I was familiar with.

"Bella!" Edward cried as he ran over and gathered me into his arms.

"That was weird." Emmett said.

"Well I think we found your power, Bella." Carlisle smiled.

How fitting that my power should be to disappear. I felt a laugh bubble up in my throat, but Edward seemed to be still freaked out.

"Can you control it?" He asked frantically.

"It was hard," I said. "But I think with practice I can perfect it." He just shook his head.

"Cool power!" said Emmett.

It was confusing though, and I could see it on everyone's faces. How did this all happen? How can a flimsy ghost become a solid vampire? How can that vampire disappear? You can't make something out of nothing. I was already dead, claiming visibility only when vampires touched me.

As if voicing my thoughts, Jasper asked: "How can this all even happen?"

This truly stumped everyone, even Carlisle. No one said anything. The silence was overwhelmingly vast, full of thought and confusion. No one knew how to answer. Truly, I didn't either. And then it hit me.

"I… I think some things can't be explained. Some things are just meant to be, and you aren't allowed to question it." I said, my voice quiet.

Of course everyone heard me, thanks to super vampire hearing. I was still getting used to the new rush of color, sound, and sight. To explain it, it was like turning up the volume and brightness on your TV. It was exhilarating.

They just nodded, accepting it without a word.

For there were truly no explanations to what had happened to me. It defied laws of matter, physics, and things that no one has ever heard of.

But who's every heard of ghosts? Or vampires for that matter? If vampires can exist, than other mythical creatures can too. Nothing seemed impossible in a world the Cullens had introduced me to. It was all a little Alice in Wonderland-y, but who cares?

"Well, are we ready?" Carlisle said, breaking me out of our reverie.

The Cullens and I were leaving Forks. Now that I was visible, it was too conspicuous if we stayed here. I felt bad about leaving my father and Jacob…but this was how it would have been if I hadn't become a vampire. I would have had to leave them either way.

I realized it was Jacob who was holding me back from moving on to heaven when I was a ghost. Not my nonexistent murderer. Not Edward. I wondered if it was the guilt I had left behind on Jacob, the need for last words. I had gotten them.

"Let's go." I said, and Edward wrapped his arm around my waist.

* * *

We were walking to the cars, ready to embark on a new chapter in our lives. One of which I hoped I was included in. I had my reservations, my fears… but things finally felt right. It felt right to be a vampire. 

Suddenly a bit of color flashed at the corner of my eyes. I turned and nearly screamed. There, standing next to Rosalie's convertible, was a hideously mutilated woman.

Her long, matted red hair was shaggy in some parts, and bald in others. Half of her face was completely bruised, a vivid purple. On her temple was a jagged cut, which had oozed dried blood on her forehead.. She wore hardly any clothes, which suggested to me the brutality of her death, and I looked away when I saw that her lower limbs were brutally mutilated.

She stared at me balefully, and I felt afraid. My steps faltered and finally stopped. Edward stopped too.

"Bella, what's wrong?" He asked concernedly.

I said nothing, only stared back at the woman as she stared at me. Then she let out a horrible, painful wail. My heart nearly broke at it. She screeched again and then stared hatefully at me.

Edward noticed the direction I was looking at, and strained to see what I was seeing. By now, the whole family had stopped and was looking at us.

"Bella, what is it?" Edward asked quietly.

I didn't turn to him. "You can't see her?" I said quietly.

"Who?" He said and looked around. And then it hit me. She must be dead.

She was a ghost.

I whipped around and threw myself into Edward's arms, sobbing tearlessly. He held me tight and fearfully.

"Bella, what is it?"

"She's—she's a ghost!" He held me tighter.

"You can see ghosts?" He asked rhetorically, clutching me.

It was then that I realized that becoming a vampire was both a blessing and a curse. I would have my eternity with Edward, but that eternity would be haunted by ghosts.

This is what I wanted, right? Eternity? Well I had gotten it.

"Bella, come on. Pretend she's not there." Edward said gently while guiding me to the car.

I looked back at the woman once more and shuddered. She stared at me so hatefully, as if I were the one that killed her.

I stepped into the car next to Edward. He rubbed my back in soothing circles for half an hour. I could practically feel the guilt radiating off of him by the way his shoulders hunched and his face was downcast, but I didn't blame him in the least.

Eventually, I calmed down and sat back with a sigh. I realized that my past would always haunt me. But it was a burden I'd be willing to bear if it meant an eternity with Edward.

"Are you okay?" Edward said gently, waking me from my reverie.

"Yeah." I said, because I was, for the most part. But the thought of the woman haunted me. It was obvious she thought I had killed her. And I hadn't.

He smiled, oblivious to my inner turmoil.

"Oh, and Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

* * *

**Fin**

**By the way, that red haired ghost? That WASN'T Victoria. Just wanted to get that straight just in case I decide to write a sequel (I might not)**

**'Tis over, this story. So thank you for reading, reviewing, and sometimes enjoying it. There will be an alternate chapter for those who weren't satisfied with this one, but in a few days.**

**So review, and be merry.**

**Kiss my fang: out**


	13. Chapter 13

**So I was bored and read over this whole story. wow. it sucks. I really don't know how you guys could stand reading this. But you did, and I'm glad, but also mildly confused. eh**

**Okay, guys. THIS is the alternate ending. I must warn you, this one is not as happy as the first (or as happy as happy can be). So I'm warning you that you _may_ not want to read it. Chapter 12 is the actual ending, not this. But if you want this to be the ending, in your mind, go right ahead.**

**enjoy, s'il vous plait**

* * *

Alice licked a drop of blood that had found its way on her arm during the hunt. Usually she was much more careful about not getting blood on herself, but today she was in a hurry. She had the oddest feeling, like a premonition without a vision, that something was wrong with Edward. He had insisted on staying behind while everyone else went out hunting, which was understandable because he was sinking back into his depressed state in which he wanted to be alone. They had decided to give Edward some time alone; but now looking back on that, it seemed like a bad idea. 

Alice walked silently down the dark hallway that leads to Edward's room. Her quick, lithe steps contrasted ludicrously with the dreary mood of the unlit hallway.

The fact that the lights were off was significant to Alice, as it was an unspoken and unwritten rule in the Cullen house that the lights remain on at all times. As if they could make sunshine in their eternity of darkness with open windows and flipped light switches. Edward and Rosalie especially took to this rule, as they both wanted humanity and normalcy intensely.

Alas, the lights were off; which bode ill to Alice.

She walked through the darkness a little longer then stopped abruptly in front of Edward's door, her hand hesitantly hovering over the door knob. Her face screwed up in worry. Something felt wrong.

As if called by the foreboding, a vision overcame Alice. Her hand convulsed and clutched the doorknob as the original darkness turned to a swirl of colors and blurry images.

As the vision cleared and turned sharper, the image of Edward appeared. His back was to Alice, partly covered in shadow. He reached towards a door. The door was heavy and thick, but light shone through the cracks, as if the light behind it refused to be oppressed.

His hand slowly approached the handle, until it rested gently in top of it. He stood completely still and sucked in a huge breath, and then he jerked the door open.

Blinding light poured out of the door like the breaking of a dam, and a scream tore from Alice's lips as she threw her arms out in front of herself in a shielding gesture.

Then, as quickly as it came, it ended. The door shut effortlessly, and Edward and the light were gone.

Alice's vision shifted slightly and tunneled to a different scene. It blurred and then rested on a carefully folded note sitting on a desk.

Immediately and suddenly, the vision released its hold on her and ended.

Alice came to with a gasp. Her hand still clutched the doorknob to Edward's room. With eyes wide with confusion and dread, she pushed open Edward's door and stepped inside.

Edward's room was pitch-black like the hallway; Alice ran her hand up and down the wall searching for the light switch.

Finally she found the switch and flicked it. Nothing happened. She flipped it a few more times and stopped; the darkness didn't bother her that much. She was used to it.

She continued to walk swiftly towards the center of his room, drawn by fear and dread. All she could hear was her steps swishing lightly on the carpet; never had things seemed so quiet. Suddenly she heard a crunch underneath her feet. Her eyes widened even further and crouched down, running her hand searchingly over the floor. Her hand hit a sharp object, and she picked it up.

In her hand lay a smooth round shape that was broken in on one side. She felt the metal tip of it and realized what it was, a light bulb.

She could practically see Edward as if she were there when it happened. She could see him in a frenzy, ripping out all of the light bulbs from the lamps and ceiling, to shroud him in darkness like he thought he deserved.

She dropped the light bulb and stood up with a new sense of purpose. She could see a shaft of light that peaked through the blinds of the window, and beamed to a white square object on Edward's desk.

She knew what it was before she got there, but she picked it up nonetheless. It was the note she had seen in her vision.

Her stomach felt sick with dread as she unfolded the paper with hesitant fingers. She scanned her eyes quickly over the letter before taking time to read each individual word, and then squeezed her eyes shut.

Sadly she opened them again, and read all the way through the letter.

Dear Family,

I liked to think off "what ifs" when I met Bella; and I thought of "what if's" after she left. What if I was never turned into a vampire? Well then I never would have gotten to meet Bella, because I would have died in 1918. Therefore I think I should feel satisfied that I knew her at all. In fact, I do.

But fate has a way to be cruel, it seems. To meet your true love, someone you love more intensely than anything in the world combined, and then to lose her; THAT is what is so unfair.

What I began to think when I got home was what if I hadn't tried to bite her and turn her into a vampire…what would have happened? Would she have stayed a ghost, in which case I'd still technically be able to see her? Or would she have moved on anyway? I'm stuck between that feeling of self-loathing for my selfishness and sadness that I would never have eternity with her.

Because in the end, I just couldn't let her go like I told myself I would. I told myself that I would help her find what kept her here as a ghost, and free her. But when the time came, I couldn't. I was too weak and bit her, and this is unforgivable. It seems that right from the beginning, I was too weak.

So I've decided to go on with my plan to visit the Volturi. Please don't try to stop me, because by the time you get this I will most likely have left and may even be in Volterra.

I will find out whether I have a soul, and I hope to join Bella in Heaven.

So I hope you're right, Dad.

But it wouldn't matter anyway, because I wouldn't be able to live without her. This is the only way.

See you on Judgment Day.

Love,

Edward

Alice finished reading the note and sobbed tearlessly. She stood there for a few minutes with the realization that she may never see Edward again, and that their family would never be the same. This would kill Esme for sure, Alice knew.

She lifted her head when she heard the front door open and close. Rapid steps followed up the stairs to the hallway, and Jasper burst into the room.

Alice threw herself into his arms and sobbed, and he held her tight as he rubbed her back soothingly.

"What's wrong? You left early, and I could feel your sadness…" He looked around the room. "Why are all the lights off? Where's Edward?"

Alice pulled away and just shook her head. Jasper's face turned grim as she held out the letter.

He pulled it gently from her hands and looked at it. His eyes widened as he read it, but he shook his head in a way that suggested he knew this kind of thing would happen all along. He added his own distress and sadness along with Alice's, which affected the rest of the Cullen's who were at the front door.

Using Jasper's distress as a beacon, they quickly ran up through the stairs and the dark hallway into Edward's room. There they saw Alice, Jasper, and the note.

At that moment they knew what happened, but read the note nonetheless.

All of their faces were downcast and guilty. Esme broke out in sobs, for they all knew that them leaving Edward alone had given him the chance to leave.

Carlisle pulled Esme into a tight hug, but not much of a comfort because he himself was overpoweringly sad.

"My son!" Esme cried, and Emmett and Rosalie looked down. Emmett wrapped an arm around Rosalie's shoulders, and she turned into him sadly.

This moment, they all knew, would define the rest of their lives. They would never be the same.

Alice's head shot up from Jasper's shoulder as she remembered the other part of her vision. The door. The door with light on the other side. Could that possibly be…?

She dared to hope that that door represented the door to heaven, and that Edward made it. That he and Bella would be together for eternity.

But it was the strangest feeling, like Edward's memory would haunt her family for the rest of their life. They would never be the same without Edward, and they would remember him everyday.

But was that enough?

"What?" Jasper said quietly.

She shook her head and laid it back down on his shoulder.

"I think it's going to be okay." She mumbled into his shirt.

And it was, if they could hold on to the hope that they had souls.

* * *

**Alright, what do you think? Not too horrible, right? just remember, this is only the alternate ending. If I decide to write a sequel (and I'm not promising anything), then it will go off the other ending (ch. 12)**

**I know a lot of you won't like this one, just because Edward kills himself, but think about about it...in the actual story, he totally WOULD. you know? so please don't flame me telling me how sucky an author I am because I made Edward kill himself.**

**Alright, that being said, please review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, guys! No, this isn't an update to this particular story, but I just wanted to let all my "I Will Haunt You" fans (if there are any of you) know that I am writing a sequel. Check it out!**

**I am already 3 chapters in, so please read and review if you liked my first fic.**

**I've title it "The Haunted", and it's a continuation of the last one. Bella is having a little trouble with her ghost friends. Here is an excerpt:**

_Suddenly, the rest of my resolve and hope shattered like the mirror in my room had nearly a month ago. My body froze and stiffened, my eyes looking and straining at the figure at the edge of the wood._

"_What is a human doing here!" I hissed._

_Edward let go of me and sniffed the air. "What?" He said tensely._

_But I ceased to hear, only to see the figure before me, poised at the edge of the trees, staring at me intensely._

_I waited for several things to happen simultaneously._

_For the scent of the human's blood to waft over me._

_For Edward's arms, strong and protective, to hold me back and away._

_For my eyes to turn a threatening shade of black, with every sense sharpened and deadly._

_But none of this happened._

_The human, male, walked towards me slowly and surely, I leaned back and growled._

_No, no, no, no!__ All I had built up couldn't be wrecked again._

_As much as I wanted to not kill the human, the deeper and darker part of me leaned forward and rubbed his greedy hands together._

_I silently begged the human to turn around and run, run very far away._

_That's when I realized some things were off._

_The man, who appeared very elderly, was wearing a 1930's vintage jacket. It confused me that someone would wear this in extremely cold weather, and live. But there was something more off about the man that began to ring bells in my head._

_He skin was just as pale as mine._

_As he drew closer, his pasty skin became more apparent. Not a human pale, a dead pale._

_I checked his eyes and scent. He didn't __look__ like a vampire. He didn't __smell__ like one._

_Then I saw things that my naïve eyes should have seen before._

_The slight pink aura surrounding his frame._

_The space between his feet and the ground._

_He was a ghost._

**Please check it out!**

**Just go to my profile and to my stories and click "The Haunted"**


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